[Prescription of generic drugs in the health area of Zamora. Benefits for the users and the National Health Service].
OBJECTIVE
To know the highest possible saving in pharmaceutical expenditures for the active user and for the National Health System (NHS), by replacing trademark specialties of Social Security prescriptions in 1995 by other generic medicines.


METHODS
Economic evaluation study for minimizing cost.


METHODS
Health Area of Zamora, 1995.


RESULTS
32 active components were selected (58 presentations and 24 therapeutic groups) marketed under generic denomination that were equivalent to specialties with identical composition-presentation and more expensive. For all those medicines that include the 32 active components, the following data were obtained from the pharmacy Management Computer System (SIFAR in Spanish): number of containers, amount and percentage prescribed to pensioners and active population, breaking down the amount of actives for the Health System and for the user. Out of the 153,885 dispensed containers analyzed in the study, 2.83% belong to those dispensed under generic denomination. The estimated possible saving could have been about 56,991,515 PTAs corresponding to 85.5% of pensioners and 14.5 of the active population. The saving for active users could have reached 4,387,523 PTAs.


CONCLUSIONS
The prescription of generic medicines allows us to improve the efficiency of the NHS because the saving generated may positively have an effect on the system itself without loosing quality or freedom in the prescription.
Díaz Madero
A
A
Gerencia de Atención Primaria, Zamora.
López Ferreras
A
A
D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics*; D016568:Drugs, Generic / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000191:economics*; D013030:Spain
D016568:Drugs, Generic
Prescripción de genéricos en el Area de Salud de Zamora. Beneficios para el usuario y el Sistema Nacional de Salud.